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Overview

I’m Lola, and I thought this year would be different. Just for once, I wanted to be a glass-half-full kind of girl for. It’s 1981, and nice girls don’t curse. But the Demented Duo has been harassing me since middle school—cutting down my looks, my Christianity, my virginity. How am I supposed to control my anger when everyone at Sunset High School seems like they’re out to get me? They’ll embarrass me about anything.

And Then George strides in, and like magic, everything is better.

If only it lasted.

How will I ever clean up my mess and make amends? Can anyone still love me?

“Identity. Belonging. Significance. Lowly gives us a deep glance into the world of adolescence and bullying with grit and grace.”

-Dr. JJ Jones, D. Min.

Family Discipleship Pastor

Fellowship Nashville, Franklin Campus

“We really love Lowly. Laura expressed the feelings of a your girl so remarkably, along with some wonderful humor and a beautiful life lesson on forgiveness. We give Lowly a BIG thumbs-up.”

-Russ and Linda Murphy

Russ Murphy Ministries

Russ is an award-winning inspirational singer-songwriter and author of Not Alone: Finding the Love of Your Life

Bio

Raised in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas, Laura Angaroni (BS, Economics, Baylor University) is proud to be from what some consider the wrong side of the tracks. She and her husband, Craig, live in Houston, Texas, where Laura writes, coaches her two teens, and after four years of high school ministry is taking a break to chase preschoolers around the church nursery.

Product Details

About the Author

Laura Angaroni was raised in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas and she's proud to be from what some would consider the wrong side of the tracks. She attended Baylor University where she acquired her economics degree and met her cute, New Jersey-born husband, Craig. Their first kiss was at the Bear Pit, and it wasn't long before she decided it wouldn't be so bad to have a last name that might be confused with a type of pasta.

Their many adventures include the birth of their firstborn, a daughter, and later, a seven-year-long vacation in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where their son was born.

They've since touched down in the Houston orbit. Laura writes, coaches her teens, reads too much, and after four years of volunteering with her church's high school ministry, is taking a break to chase preschoolers around the church nursery.

Editorial Reviews

“Identity. Belonging. Significance. Lowly gives us a deep glance into the world of adolescence and bullying with grit and grace.”

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

I don’t frequently dip into the world of realistic fiction, but I’m glad that I stepped away from my beloved dragons and detectives to take a chance on Lowly.
Laura P. Angaroni’s debut novel is written from the heart. The Dallas native’s writing style is clear and compassionate, and her teen characters could have been plucked from your own high school. I hope she’ll keep writing! Young adult Christian fiction needs more authors like Angaroni.
The main character, Lola, is a delight. She may be Christian, but she definitely isn’t a Puritan. Lola is sassy, flawed, and wholly lovable. From the first page, her complexity as a character shone. When getting scolded for swearing, she snapped, “Would it be okay if, just this once, I contemplate my stupidity later?” Lola felt bad for the curse, but her snippy reaction reveals a sharp sense of humor that continues throughout the book. It’s often her only defense against the school bullies.
Speaking of which, the portrayal of bullying and drama in Lowly was fresh and realistic. There were the usual troublemakers, but nearly all of the characters have an incident where their behavior is less than exemplary. Reading about the teens’ struggles to balance their faith and their fiery emotions adds a realistic dimension to the novel.
One of Lola’s principal issues was dealing with the newfound friend drama. A familiar problem among teens is the dating scene. Who should you go out with? What happens when you feel like a third wheel? And why didn’t your friend tell you about her new crush? Lola deals with all those problems and more!
The light start to the novel — homecoming, dating drama, mean girls — skillfully veils the shockingly dark twist in the middle of the story. The way that the characters react to the tragedy makes the novel one to remember.
As for the Christian aspect, the characters are all Christian; they go to church, they pray, and they talk about God. It’s a healthy dose, but not so much that you feel like you’re reading a sermon. Non-Christian readers should also be able to enjoy the novel, since there is nothing that disrespects other religions.
For readers who want to get a full ’80s experience, Angaroni has a playlist of classic rock songs on her playlist. “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Rocket Man” go perfectly with the story.
Lowly might mean common or humble, but don’t let that make you underestimate the strength and sass of Lola, an unforgettable character.
Star360 (LitPick Student Book Reviewer) - Age 17

TXbetty

More than 1 year ago

When beginning to write, students are often told to "write what you know." It is easy to tell that Laura has written what she knows - all about growing up in Oak Cliff (a real area near Dallas, Texas), teenagers (she has two), and life in high school (she was there just a few years ago). Lowly (Lola's nickname) is a high school girl who's on the drill team but while not part of the most popular group, she still has quite a few good friends. For some reason she is tormented by the Demented Duo, two boys who call her ugly names and often sink to much worse behavior. Lola, while smart and caring, also has a problem keeping her tongue (and often her emotions) in check. As a result, her problems with the Duo's bullying escalate but on the flip side Lola's young childhood friendship with George is rekindled when he breaks up with his girlfriend. The rest of the book is about Lola's relationships with Earley, her best friend (despite being male), George, and her group of girlfriends as they encounter the trials and tribulations of high school...some quite tragic.
Laura has nailed the emotional flow of high school years. Little things turn into big things, misunderstandings become cavernous divides, but in the end real friends really do look out for each other. The story is set in the 1980's at Sunset High School, a real school in Oak Cliff. I'll admit I was a bit overwhelmed at the beginning with so many characters being introduced, but eventually realized that that is just what high school is like - lots of kids, some more important than others. The characters are believable and relatable as is the story line. What I really liked is that a story like this could happen in any time and in any place - it's the caring relationships that are important and help us grow. In Lowly, Lola grows when she is able to forgive herself and can ask for forgiveness from others.
I highly recommend this book for middle- and high-schoolers as I believe most would be able to relate to a story dealing with adolescence in a thoughtful way and without profanity or indecency.

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